Starting today, we are sharing 10 items on our life list, which according to Karen Walrond is all about creating our own adventure. How do we do that? By “Injecting cool stuff as well as the more mundane stuff,” Karen says. The idea came from Mighty Girl who was sponsored by Intel and Verizon to make her life list. Check her list out on her blog if you want ideas. (I wonder how we could get ours sponsored?) just a thought.
I listened to Karen Walrond speak at the WDS conference in Portland, a few days ago. Her topic was something that we can all relate to: “The Beauty of Different.” I became enthusiastic about what she said that people want to “fit in,” yet they love people who are different. I never thought of that before, but it’s so true.
As a photographer, Karen loves to capture people’s faces and in her video below, you’ll understand what she means when she says, “The reason we love different so much is that we find it beautiful.” Talk about different, Karen is a former engineer and a current yet (non-practicing attorney) a photographer, author and was born in Trinidad and Tobago, yet grew up in Houston. She states all her life she was trying to fit in until she discovered that people actually love different.
1). Take a Spanish immersion class. Live with a family in Panama for three months to become fluent.
2). Host a party with friends to share and discuss the 10 most important things on your life list.
3). Join a bike club that is non-competitive and friendly.
4). Teach English abroad through CELTA program.
5). Write a second book about, Being Gutsy over 50.
6). Make presentations on Gutsy Living in the U.S and abroad.
7). Visit Australia with the goal of perhaps living there for a while.
8). Volunteer in Kenya or Tanzania with children.
9). Build a community of baby-boomer adventure-seekers who share an enthusiasm for life.
10). Explore new places and keep learning and growing.
Please share your life list if you want to participate. If you don’t have one, you can still participate by commenting. This post will be up until Monday June 20th, so you have time. Remember you’ll have 100 items on your own list, so these don’t have to be the most important.
Just think about what you’d like to do, however big or small. Doesn’t matter.
That's a very impressive list, Sonia. I'm convinced you'll achieve all your goals with your enthusiasm. I shall submit my 10 things before the 20th.
Great idea!
I'm actually in the middle of doing one of my life list items, which is living in Italy for the summer! Here are 10 more:
1. Publish multiple books for children
2. Write a novel
3. Take a volunteer vacation
4. Go on an African safari
5. Become a sought-after public speaker
6. Learn to speak Italian (or any other language) fluently
7. Dive the Great Barrier Reef
8. Take my kids to a Michigan football game.
9. Ride in a hot air balloon.
10. Run a half-marathon.
1. Publish numerous travel stories about my cycling safaris in South Africa & Egypt as well as my adventures in the Dolomites, Amsterdam, Thailand & elsewhere
2. Write My Dam Betrayal
3. Re-vamp WordGeisha, Ink (www.wordgeisha.com) & The Write Brain (www.wordgeisha.blogspot.com)
4. Establish an online presence with ample followers
5. Learn Dutch
6. Improve harmony with Brooke/restore harmony with Blake
7. Foster meaningful global friendships
8. Create a Life Mosaic on my terrace
9. Establish Groenmarktkade 4F as the most gezellig apartment in Amsterdam
10. Fall in love again
Sonia, This is an interesting – shall I call it challenge? I particularly liked no. 2 on your list. Please include me when you host that party.
Here are the first 10 things on my list (and while writing them, another 10 occurred to me):
1. Publish my book "Don't Hang Up!"
2. Be able to publicize my book, which probably means having the wherewithal though don't know the "where" and the "withal" is hazy
3. Become a successful motivational speaker
3. Finish editing my big book, the first in my historical fiction trilogy set in 18th, 19th, and 20th century Mexico
4. Find my own little place to live (am currently living with my sister and her family)
5. Move back to downtown San Diego
6. Buy a comfortable arm chair
7. To read, read, read all the unread books on my shelves plus the ones I’m going to buy
8. Be able to help out some needy friends
9. Be an important presence in both my sons' lives
10. Live in London again, maybe for a year, to regain some of my British self
Gosh… fairly hard but I'll try!
1. Travel more.
2. Visit Iceland.
3. Publish my photography/poetry book.
4. Volunteer in South Africa.
5. Forgive more and get rid of resentments.
6. Brush up on my Spanish.
7. Meet some of my online friends.
8. De-clutter the house a bit.
9. Take the time to look everyone in the eye and see their humanity.
10. Laugh a lot more.
I was always "forced" to be different as a kid as I never fit in with the "cool" kids, I was always a nerd. Since I gave up even trying I nurtured my difference from that time on. It has served me well over the years and I continue to be proud that I am different… and it is one of the things my wife says she likes the most about me.
@Stephanie
Can't wait to see your list.
@Julie
There are four things on your list I would also like to do: the safari, the volunteer vacation, the public speaking and the hot air balloon. Thanks for sharing your list, and good luck. Your Italian summer sounds fascinating.
Melissa, I love your list and would love to read ore about your cycling safaris. Never heard of that before. Interview time?
2. What is My Dam Betrayal? A novel?
3. I am coming over to see what WordGeisha, Ink is.
5. I thought you spoke Dutch.
8. What is a life mosaic?
9. gezellig, does that mean cozy?
10. Hope you do too.
Sonia,
I’ve enjoyed cycling tours in Italy, Holland, Greece, Turkey & Egypt and a cycling safari in South Africa. Some stories are posted on my website, which needs updating & integration w/ my blog, others are still in my head.
I’m totally game for an interview about gutsy living. I’m wordgeisha on skype & can arrange to be at a friend’s house where there’s a better connection.
1. “My ‘Dam Betrayal, An Expat’s Tale of Scents & Sensibility” is a memoir about growing up in mid-agecouched in my adventures with an aroma jockey who moved in with me for 3 weeks in Sept. 2010.
3. http://www.wordgeisha.com is a website I launched decades ago. It needs re-design & re-purposing. Also syncing w/ everything else I have online.
5. There’s no need to speak Dutch in the Netherlands (except to read bills, local bulletins & nasty letters from the gemente, the org that keeps things in order). Virtually everyone under 50 speaks English…mostly learned from subtitles. Nevertheless, I want to learn Dutch & my vocab increases daily by osmosis.
8. I have a lovely outdoor terrace where I want to create a symbolic mosaic of my life showing how I found peace & harmony after trading a script that didn’t fit for one that goes on like a custom-tailored suit.
9. Dutchies love to tell you there’s no translation for the word “gezellig,” a central concept in their culture. It means cozy & welcoming & it’s easy to recognize: a coffeeshop with dim lights, soft music and lively conversation is gezellig; a neon-lit drive-in where you grab a burger to eat in your car is not. A nicely decorated pad with flowers, nice scents & a good vibe is gezellig; a cramped, messy apt. is not. You get the idea. I have a whole chapter about “gezellig,” if you’d like to use it as a guest post or anything else in your blog.
10. Even if I don’t, I’m grateful for a full,happy life that makes me feel blessed and lucky.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for all your answers.
The cycling safari sounds fascinating.
I would like to focus an interview on the adventure and “Gutsy” side of your life as a woman who goes out there and pursues her passion.
I shall contact you via e-mail first.
Thanks Melissa. Very interesting about the gezellig. The Danes have a similar one, “Hyggelig.”
@Penelope
I think Julie, you and I all hope to get published and become motivational speakers.
#10 I could see you moving back to London for a year. I truly see you enjoying your British roots again.
@ladyfi
Are you going to travel while your kids are still with you or after?
#2 What fascinates you about Iceland. I wouldn't mind living there for a while. I think the people are nice and I've seen documentaries about how trendy it is there.
#4. Hook up with Melissa above. Why S. Africa? Just curious.
#7. Yes, I'd love to meet you.
#9. Do you feel distant from those around you in Sweden?
Stopping over from Jeanie's to check out your inspiring list! After reading it and the comments I think I need to dream a little bigger 🙂
Cheers, jj
@Joanna
A life list is supposed to have anything in it, whether big or small. So I'm sure your list is perfect for you. Thanks for stopping by.
Okay, My list would be. and this is off the top of my head, I have a list around here somewhere.
1. to be a famous A list action star
2. to do fitness modeling and win a few figure competitions
3. to have a best selling book
4.Travel The world doing crazy stunts along the way
5. Race Motorcycles and Cars
6.be a superhero!
7. Excessive laughter always!!!
8. to help as many people as possible with their health and also how to live a wild crazy life.
9. to make a minimum of $40,000,000,000 dollars (I have plans for it)
10. To be healthy happy and to follow my bliss always!
Lauren,
Your list is full of exciting stuff which suits your personality, since I know you from our gym.
I didn’t realize your #1 item was to be a famous A-list action star.
You go for it, which I know you will.
I thought I would write the big list when I saw Tammy Strobel’s (Rowdy Kittens) but I never did get around to it. I think I can manage a 10 things list.
1 Be part of the all male dj line-up at Koulgraoul night club
2 Live in Dakar
3 Learn Wolof
4 Make a dancehall compilation cd
5 Get a funky new haircut
6 Have coffee in the crypt
7 Go to the Slave Museum, Liverpool
8 See Tracey Emin’s exhibition
9 Sit by the river in the morning
10 Read The Travels of Ibn Battuta
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